Organic chemical solvents are commonly used in a variety of manufacturing processes. Unfortunately, these solvents have been shown to have deleterious effects on both humans and the environment. In an effort to address such concerns, industries in general are continuously seeking ways to prevent the release of such solvents during manufacturing operations. The release of solvents into the atmosphere is most effectively reduced or eliminated through the development of solvent-free manufacturing processes. For instance, battery manufacturing processes are heavily dependent upon solvents; as a result, those in the battery industry are in constant search of alternatives. Organic solvents are integral to the manufacture of many high performance rechargeable or secondary battery cells. For example, one state-of-the-art rechargeable cell which currently requires the use of organic solvents during manufacture is described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/714,032 entitled "Gel Electrolyte Bonded Rechargeable Electrochemical Cell and Method of Making Same" filed on Sep. 23, 1996. It would be tremendously beneficial to be able to reduce the use of solvents in the manufacture of this and other cells.
For the foregoing reasons, it would be desirable to develop a method of manufacturing battery cells, e.g., the aforementioned rechargeable cell, which requires less organic solvent or, better yet, eliminates the need for organic solvents altogether. The method should be cost-effective and efficient, and should not negatively impact the functionality of the cell.